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Do You Know What Today Is?


James wandered back to Gryffindor Tower, taking his time, hoping Sirius might catch up with him if he dawdled enough. He had just reached the sixth floor landing when he saw Lily Evans coming hurrying up the corridor from the Trophy Room Passageway. He raised an eyebrow. “Oi, Evans, you’re using our shortcuts now?”

She looked surprised to see him. “I thought you were in detention?”

“Minnie ended it early. She decided to do career counseling on me and Sirius while we were in there and Sirius apparently wishes to be Jim Morrison.”

“Jim Morrison’s dead.”

“Well that puts a kink in things, doesn’t it?” James laughed. He noticed then that Lily was holding something behind her back. He smirked. “What’cha got Evans?”

“Nothing.”

“C’mon, let me see.”

“It’s nothing. Go away, you nosey git.”

Grinning, James leaped forward and caught her up and she let out a shriek and kicked at him - laughing even as she did it, “Stop it! Stop, you toerag!” She struggled against him and he spun her ‘round so he was basically hugging her from behind and she brought whatever it was she was holding ‘round the front, holding it to her chest and curling about it, “Stop it!” She was flushed and laughing, “You can’t see it.”

“What is it?”

“I’m not telling you, James.”

“C’mon Evans!”

“No!” Lily shoved whatever it was under the jumper she was wearing and covered the lump with her arms so he couldn’t see through the knitting or guess by the shape of it. She stared up at him as she climbed a couple steps up the stairwell to get away. He was smirking playfully. “Stop it, stop looking like that,” she commanded. “You’re horrible. A horrible boy.”

“You love me.”

“I don’t.” She shook her head, “You’re an idiot. I swear to Merlin…” she turned and started up the stairs.

“Evans,” he said. “Do you know what today is?” he trotted after her.

“Saturday.”

“And also?”

“27 March.”

“Yes. But also?”

“Ten days after St. Patrick’s.”

“Yes… but no.”

“The anniversary of the first ever International Rugby Match - 1871, played between England and Edinberg?”

“What? No!”

“James Callaghan, one of the Muggles who’s on the ballot for Prime Minister - isn’t his birthday today?”

“Evans.”

“I know. There are only 272 shopping days left ‘til Christmas.”

“Why do you know that? Nobody just knows that. Not in March. Sure in like November, perhaps, but not in March.”

“It’s called math, Potter.”

“Yeah but… that was fast math.”

“I suppose. It’s not that hard really.”

“Right. How many days until 17 June?”

“82.”

“September 1.”

“158.”

“Bloody hell.”

Lily smirked as she ran up the stairs, smirking to herself. She was right, but it was amusing because there was no way in hell that James knew for certain she was. She could’ve been throwing random numbers at him and he would’ve accepted it. The astonished look on his face, too, was rather priceless.

“Ok, smartie,” James said as he thundered after her. “Halloween? How many days ‘til Halloween?”

“218,” Lily answered primly.

“1981.”

“2044 days,” Lily said after a short pause.

James shook his head. “22 June 1994.”

Lily paused on the steps and made a face, her nose crunched up as she thought it out, her mind racing over numbers.

James smirked. “Aha. I stumped you!” He looked quite proud of himself for having gotten her.

“It’s 6661 days,” Lily said finally, triumphantly haughty. And she turned about on the stairs.

“What are you? Some sort of mathematics genius?” James asked, his expression one of amazement. “I’m lucky I can get out two plus two on a good day.”

Lily laughed.

“What other little tricks can you do?” James asked.

“Bugger off Potter.”

James laughed. “No really. Like… can you do other tricks? Like if I told you to sit and stay --”

Lily rolled her eyes. “I’m not a dog.”

“I’m sure there’s a joke to be made about whether you’re Sirius or not, but…”

“Merlin.”

“Hey now, you need to be nice to me today, Evans.”

Lily kept her back carefully turned to him, a smirk playing on her face. He was just so desperate for her to know what day it was, and she felt like she was being so obvious… She hugged his present closer to her chest under her jumper. “Sorry,” she said coyly, then, “I’m not meaning to be rude. I’m just tired. Been up all night planning a party and all.”

James’s heart skipped a beat with excitement. “Oh? You’ve been planning a party you say?” He jumped up two steps hurriedly so he was even with her and started walking up them backwards, grinning at her with that crooked smile and his eyes twinkling. “What sort of party? A birthday party, by chance?”

“Yes, a birthday party,” she said, and she nodded at the way he was jogging backwards up the steps. “You’re going to trip.” “I won’t trip,” he said as his grin grew even wider, “Sooo… uh… who is that birthday party for, Evans?”

“Nobody.”

“Nobody?”

“Nobody at all,” Lily answered.

James chuckled, “That nobody wouldn’t happen to be a certain… handsome… young man with a… a whimsically charming smile, would he?” he asked in an arrogant tone.

Lily’s evil side made her do it. “And here I thought only Sirius would describe Remus Lupin that way.”

James tripped and nearly fell down the stairs at this. He caught the rail only just in time and she stepped around him neatly and continued on up. He paused, the smirking grin wiped from his face by the shock of both the trip and the name that had come from her mouth. “Remus Lupin!”

“Yes, that’s what I said. Remus Lupin,” Lily replied. It was taking all her strength not to laugh as James scrambled to his feet, hurrying to keep up.

“But his birthday was two weeks ago!” he complained.

“Yes, but we didn’t get to celebrate it then, did we?” she pointed out. “Because of his appendix. And he deserves a party, don’t you think? He’s such a sweet boy and he’s been so strong - with helping that little boy with his condition --”

“Furry little problem, really,” James muttered.

“-- and all the rubbish with Sirius and Severus, he really needs some cheering up and all,” Lily continued. “Don’t you think Rey deserves a party?”

“Sure, I s’pose, but --”

“This is really the first time we’ve had a chance!” she said. “And it’s about time, too. A whole day to celebrate Remus Lupin has been long overdue!” Lily could feel her face flushing, the air between them thick with James’s jealousy and slowly deflating ego. She could almost hear the grinding of his brains as he agonized.

“Yeah, but… other people have birthdays in March, too, you know,” James whined.

Lily had all she could do not to laugh. “Oh? Do they? Who else has a birthday in March? Not Sirius. His is in November. The third, isn’t it? And Peter’s is 7 August. Hmmm…”

James stared at her with wide eyes. Seriously? She remembered Peter’s birthday, but not his?

“Evans.”

They’d reached the portrait hole. She stopped at the door and looked at him, the Fat Lady waiting with a raised eyebrow as he caught up and stopped before her. “Potter?” Lily asked.

James put his hands in the pockets of his jumper and sort of shuffled awkwardly, he looked down at his trainers - the brand new ones that had come in by owl post that morning from his folks.

“Potter.”

He looked up at her.

“Of course I bleeding know what day it is.” And Lily Evans leaned in and took his chin in her hand, turning his face to one side and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Happy Birthday, James.” And she turned to the portrait. “Godric,” she said, and Lily pushed him into the common room as the Fat Lady swung open and he stumbled through to an explosion of Gryffindor celebration.